NYCFC hire former Rutgers AD Pernetti as CBO

Four months after making their first hire, New York City FC has officially announced the second hiring in club history.

Former Rutgers University Athletics Director Tim Pernetti has been confirmed as the club’s Chief Business Officer, and he’ll be overseeing all business operations for the team, which is set to begin in the Spring of 2015. Pernetti’s appointment follows the club’s hiring of former U.S. Men’s National Team and Manchester City midfielder Claudio Reyna to be the team’s Director of Football.

“I feel truly privileged to have been appointed to this position and to play a key role in building this club from its infancy,” Pernetti said in a statement on the club’s website. “I relish the opportunity to be part of a global organisation, and also to use my experience to create a first class Club for New Yorkers and one in which they will always have a voice.

This is a tremendously exciting time for all involved and interested in soccer in New York and beyond.”

After playing college football at Rutgers, Pernetti returned to the school in 2009 to become it’s Athletics Director, where he served until 2013, when he resigned amid controversy after men’s basketball head coach Mike Rice was caught on camera physically and verbally attacking his players. Originally, Pernetti suspended Rice for three games, as well as fining him and forcing him to go through anger management courses, but once the video went public and the University’s President found out, Pernetti was forced to resign.

Prior to his stint at Rutgers, Pernetti was a television network executive, working with CBS Television, CSTV, and ABC Sports. During his time at Rutgers, Pernetti was also influential in joining the Big Ten Conference, a huge pay boost to the athletics department thanks to the success of the Big Ten Network.

Pernetti is set to begin his job effective immediately, and will report directly to Manchester City CEO, Ferran Soriano.

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What do you think of this hiring? Do you see NYCFC landing a huge TV deal because of the hire? Do you believe Pernetti’s past is an issue?

That “great guy” is getting $1.2 million in PUBLIC money from Rutgers/New Jersey to do absolutely nothing after getting fired for incompetence. He may be a “great guy” (whatever the h3ll that means) but anyone who can’t recognize that a video of the basketball coach physically abusing his players (given to Pernitti by a former coach whom the program had fired and who was suing the University!) is going to headline SportsCenter isn’t a particularly bright guy.